A high-stakes police operation resulted in the deaths of two suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers early Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after a brazen heist in Verulam.

The operation, led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) with assistance from the Durban Metropolitan Police Service( DMPS), followed intensive intelligence work tracing the suspects to the Nhlazatshe area of Edendale, Pietermaritzburg.

The shootout

According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, officers arrived at a residence in Edendale where the suspects were believed to be hiding. Upon entering the premises, a fierce gun battle broke out between the suspects and law enforcement.

  • Fatalities: Two suspects were shot and killed during the exchange of fire.
  • Arrests/Manhunt: A third suspect managed to flee the scene by jumping a fence and remains at large.
  • Recoveries: At the scene, police recovered three firearms – two rifles and one handgun – along with significant amounts of ammunition and a VW Polo suspected to have been used in the commission of the heist. A bakkie with tampered number plates was also discovered in the property's garage.

Background: The Verulam heist 

The operation was a direct response to a violent robbery that occurred on Monday afternoon in the Brindhaven area of Verulam, north of Durban.

Reports indicate that approximately 10 to 12 heavily armed suspects ambushed a cash delivery vehicle on Old Inanda Road. The perpetrators used explosives to blast open the armoured vehicle, disarming the security guards and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash and firearms.

Private security teams, including Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), responded to the scene and engaged in a shootout with the suspects as they fled. While no security guards were reported injured in the initial heist, the robbers fired on response vehicles and a police helicopter during their escape. Three firearms were later recovered in Inanda following an aerial search.

Police have confirmed that no officers were injured during Tuesday morning's shootout in Edendale. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue the search for the remaining members of the gang.